A conventional vehicle typically includes multiple doors, each of which includes a latch that is configured to engage a structure on the vehicle. When the door latch is engaged with the structure on the vehicle, the door latch secures the vehicle door in a closed state. The door latch is typically mounted internally to the door and is therefore not directly accessible to a user.
Actuator assemblies that are configured to actuate the door latch are commonly assembled to the door in a position that is accessible to user from inside of the vehicle and that allows the user to open the door from the inside. To operate a conventional actuator assembly, the user first grasps the actuator assembly, then pulls on the actuator assembly to unlatch the door latch, and then, while continuing to pull on the actuator assembly, pushes on the door to swing it open, typically with an elbow or shoulder.
While conventional actuator assemblies are adequate, there is room for improvement. The operation of a conventional actuator assembly requires the user to have a certain amount of manual dexterity in order to segregate one or two fingers from the others in order to properly grasp or engage the actuator assembly. Furthermore, the act of pulling on the actuator assembly with the user's hand while simultaneously pushing on the door with the user's elbow and/or shoulder requires the user to have a generally unencumbered range of motion for the arm closest to the door. Furthermore, conventional latches are not configured to serve as grab handles. Typically, while opening the door, the user must release the latch and quickly reach for a separate grab handle to prevent the vehicle door from swinging open in an uncontrolled manner. In the event that a user is injured, ill, or suffers from a condition that limits the user's mobility or range of motion, the user may be unable to simultaneously pull on the actuator assembly, push on the vehicle door, and then quickly relocate their hand to a grab handle to control the vehicle door as it swings open.
One solution has been to equip vehicle doors with an electronically actuatable door latch. One such solution entails mounting a relatively small button to an inboard portion of the vehicle door. The button is mounted to an inboard side of an armrest and is positioned and sized to be actuated by a user's thumb. While this solution does reduce the amount of dexterity required by a user to open the door of the vehicle, there is still room for improvement.